A black relative in his late 50s told me I should be more sympathetic toward Colin Kaepernick's grievances with America; more understanding of young blacks dissing their country.

I say, “Hogwash!”

My 88-year-old black dad might have a reason to dis our National Anthem, but not Kaepernick.  Kaepernick is a wealthy bi-racial pro-athlete whom America has been extremely good to. His grievances are rooted in ingratitude and lies promoted by Black Lives Matter.

Dad told me when he was a young Merchant Marine, after several months at sea their ship arrived at a maritime base in St. Petersburg, Florida. The crew was extremely excited about their much-anticipated shore leave. Then, Dad and his fellow black seaman were told they could not leave the ship due to the town's curfew for blacks. Dad said his outraged fellow black seaman exploded into an endless rant of cussing. Dad said he cried.

Dad said they were the first blacks to arrive at that base. The two blacks eventually had to leave the ship because it was scheduled for decommission. On that U.S. Maritime base, Dad said they had to be accompanied everywhere by bodyguards. Meals were eaten separate from white seaman. They had to call a black cab company for a ride into town. Blacks could only enter the movie theater via stairs in the back of the building, which led to a ticket booth and seating in the balcony.

Dad told me years ago how white seaman on that base trapped and attempted to hang him. White shipmates saved Dad's life.

Folks, that was real-deal painful racism. Hearing gen-xers and millennial blacks whine about racism is absurd; flat-out nonsense. So no, I do not want to hear Kaepernick's arrogant and ignorant disrespect, his lack of gratitude for Americans, black and white, who suffered and died paving the way for him.

Blacks are only 12% of the U.S. Population. How do Kaepernick and other arrogant ungrateful young blacks who keep kicking America in the teeth think blacks have risen to power in practically every area of American life, culminating with a black man holding the highest office in the land for the past 8 years? Obviously, a majority of white Americans regret past injustices and sought to make things right.

Some may argue that America is not perfect. The Bible acknowledges that we live in a sinful world. Therefore, nothing is prefect. However, America's positives far outweigh her negatives. I continue yelling from the rooftops, “America is the greatest land of opportunity on the planet for all who choose to go for it!” Cut the victim crap and pursue your dreams!

Pumphrey, the community I grew up in, had a banquet honoring my dad who was a pillar of the community. Dad is a great man, but he is a human being. Therefore, he is not perfect. What if at Dad's banquet a speaker from the podium had said this banquet is a sham, spouting negatives intended to bring down Dad's status? Dad's guests would be outraged. Pumphrians realize their Rev. Dr. Lloyd E. Marcus is not perfect, but his life bears testimony that his good far surpasses his not so good.

We Americans who honestly weigh America's positives against her negatives feel love and respect for our country. This explains the heartbreak we feel regarding this trend of athletes from the pros down to middle school giving America their middle finger. This is why it is so offensive hearing wealthy, spoil-brat black “yutes” dissing their country based on lies and racist experiences of which they know nothing about.

Though praised by America hating Leftist media, Kaepernick exposed his ignorance when he attacked Trump by saying, “America has never been great for people of color."

What was America when it elected a black man to be president for two terms? What was America when it made a dark-skin over-weight black woman (Oprah) one of the richest most powerful persons in the world?

In the late 1970s, I became the first black graphic designer at a Baltimore TV station. My buddy Joe Ford became the first black Art Director at Baltimore’s prestigious advertising agency, W.B. Doner. We blacks were pretty peerless in our fields. Today, blacks are present in almost every field of expertise. To say that blacks have not come a long way baby in America is absurd.

From politicians who awarded me scholarships to attend art college to businessmen who hired and mentored me, most of my career stepping stones have been placed ahead of me by whites.

Folks, I could go on and on with examples of how America, which is mostly white, has been extremely good to blacks. We all know and see this reality. And yet, the America hating Left and Black Lives Matter lies rule the day and millennial hearts and minds. Very sad. Devastatingly destructive.

Philosophers, gurus, and spiritual teachers, secular and religious, all tout the wisdom and proven powerful personal benefits of an attitude of gratitude.

The universally proven principle at work is that when one expresses gratitude you attract more good stuff to you.

And yet, the Left (Democrats, mainstream media and Hollywood) demeans and belittles grateful American blacks. Blacks who spit in the face of their homeland are considered, cool, brave and enlightened by the Left. The Left says that blacks who understand the blessing of being born an American are either stupid or mentally ill suffering with Stockholm Syndrome.

I pray that enough blacks have finally seen the light; saying, “No thank you” to the Left's masterfully wrapped bag of excrement, filled with racial hate, more false promises and destructive deceptions.

I informed a clueless black relative that every major city controlled by Democrats for the past 40 years is a hellhole of black suffering; through-the-roof unemployment; epidemic school dropouts; over 70% fatherless households, high incarcerations and record-breaking black on black homicides.

Blacks' negative experiences in America are all easily traceable back to their irrational loyalty to Democrats; sleeping with their enemy.

Isn't it ironic that the source of “real” hope and change for blacks, along with all Americans, is Donald Trump? Trump will, “Make America Great Again!” We are all sooooooooo ready!

Lloyd Marcus, The Unhyphenated American; Chairman: The Conservative Campaign Committee; http://www.lloydmarcus.com/